Ten members of the Zamfara State House of Assembly have rejected the declaration of minority leader’s seat vacant, describing the decision as unconstitutional and politically motivated.
DAILY NIGERIAN reports that on Tuesday, the assembly had declared the seat of Aliyu Ango-Kagara vacant over alleged absence for an extended period, attending only 21 out of 180 sitting days.
The Assembly said the decision was made in line with Sections 101 and 109 [2] of the Nigerian Constitution.
But speaking on behalf of the 10 members at a press briefing in Abuja on Friday, Nasiru Abdullahi, member representing Maru North, accused the assembly leadership under Bilyaminu Ismail-Moriki of acting under executive influence and attempting to silence dissenting voices.
“The assembly is now virtually controlled by the executive, reducing the voice of the opposition to almost nothing,” the lawmakers stated.
They argued that the declaration of Mr Kagara’s seat as vacant was done arbitrarily and without legal backing.
According to them, the 24-member assembly no longer has the required two-third majority to make valid legislative decisions after losing 10 members.
The lawmakers who are from the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and the All Progressives Congress, APC, claimed that the passage of the 2025 Appropriation bill was null and void.
“The same Bilyaminu’s House leadership suspended eight of us from the House on 26th February last year, 2024, illegally without recourse to constitutional provisions or the House Standing Rules.
“Our salaries and allowances have been withheld, and our constituents have not been represented since then just for voicing out our constituents’ security challenges before the House, which became a crime against the House leadership.
“The suspension, which was effected without due process or a fair hearing, is a clear violation of our rights and the principles of natural justice.
“The declaration of the minority leader’s seat vacant is a further attempt to silence him and disenfranchise him for his stance on the call for the Assembly to reverse the suspension of eight honourable members and address the injustice.
“It is sad to note that through these undue interferences by the powers that be among the lawmakers, they have been fighting and terrorising even their own members who refuse to dance to their tunes, especially as rubber stamps, face suspension threats, but this cannot be allowed to continue with such abuse looking like business as usual,” the lawmakers added.
While accusing the house leadership of acting ignorantly, Mr Abdullahi explained that, “before declaring or removing any member, it requires constitutional interpretation and certain processes that must be followed and not an arbitrary announcement by a bunch of uninformed persons.
“The Assembly leadership also needs to explain to the electorates how many times they sat to take public interest decisions in the House of Assembly which has been moving from one place to another and only come together on a short notice to meet in secretive manners and take the bidding of their master who has since turned them into rubber stamps that are only convenient to some members”.
The lawmakers therefore called on the National Assembly, security agencies, and civil society organisations to intervene and restore legislative independence in Zamfara State.
They threatened to seek legal redress if the Assembly leadership failed to reverse illegal decisions.
Those who attended the press conference are Ibrahim Tudu Tukur– representing Bakura constituency, Faruk Musa Dosara—representing Maradun I constituency, Shamsudeen Hassan—Talata-Mafara North, Bashar Aliyu, Gummi I, Nasiru Abdullahi Maru–Maru North, Bashir Abubakar Masama—Bukkuyum North, Amiru Ahmed—Tsafe West, Basiru Bello—Bungudu West, Aliyu Ango Kagara—Talata-Mafara South, and Mukhtaru Nasiru, representing Kaura Namoda North.
